Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-01
A BRAZILIAN BALL.
The Men Smoke Cigarettes and Keep
Their Hats IA.


a kind of ball at the Coionia ThereZa
village, situated in fertile region, yet
stagGant from lack OF communication
viii. The outer world, is thus described
ION entering The house at which the en-
tcrtainment was 10 be held We Immediately
found ourselves in large mud tloor room,
ranged round The walls of which were al!
the youth and beauth of the village, smart
~ dressed IN clean cotton prints, all cvi-
gently got up for the occasion. In the
center OF the room, which was bare OF
furniture, the young men OF the village, To
The number OF about two dozen, were
grouped together, chatting and smoking
cigarettes, with their hats on their heads, 10
ali appearances utterly obliyious of the
presence OF the ladies. Our entry seemed
TO be the signal for the commencement OF
the entertainment. Two ban JOS struck up
and now, for the first time the men began
10 turn their attention To the dcmure Dut
conscious-looking muidcns who had up to
the present moment, been silently await
ingsthcir pleasure. One by one each man
chose partner I'LL ten couples were made
up. These ten couples now formed IA
circle in the middle OF the room and the
dance commenced.
With the slow aud rhythmic beat the
men first began 90 keep time 10 the ban
joeS, alternately advancing toward and re-
tiring from the center OF the ring, the
women also stamping With their IL |, tut
not advancing. At TIE end OF each dozen
bars or SO OF the music. all with one ac-
cord, both men and women, gave three
loud Claps OF the hands, winch was the
signal Tor the moment of greater display
oi energy III the movements OF the body
Il Il.
upon the hard mud floor. All at once one
OF the men dancers, In a rich full voice,
struck up an 'Impgomptu' stanZa in beau
tlul Time and harmony with the music,
the last words of which were taken up
and repeated in chorus 10y all Once more
vocal silence, while the luonotOnous tum,
tum, tum Of the banjJcs and The noise oil
the stamping OF feet went on as before
Then. again, second wild impromptu
stanza burst forth from another OF the
dancers, again 10 be taken up IN chorus
by all. We observed ON each OF these oc-
casiOns that the dancers all turned their
eyes upon us as though Wc were the per.
sons they were addressing. " personally
found this 70 be the case, one oil our IA
tcrprctcrS, who was present, coming up
and informing rs that We Were being in
yited TO Join the dance. Nothing iO9th,
we each chose willing dansel from the
still uneNhausted row Of Walliowers. and
Joined the uuliring ring in the middle OF
the room.
During what seemed inlcrminablc min
utes we, too, had now TO beat our 1ect
upon the hard noor, swing our arms and
bodies, and clap our hands. Is the dance
went on the excitement WaXcd stronger,
the 'impromptu' shouts become yells, the
once graceful swaying of the bodies OF the
performers was changed into violent con
tortions, and all The characteristics of a
North American Indian war dance came
into play. The atmosphere of the room
was full OF the smoke of cigarettes, through
which the dim bccsWaX taper, here and
there stuck upon the face Of the wall,
around, cast a'Mrid glare. soon the music
ceased; the tired finger, Of the ministries
had given way at ia-l. and the dance alb
rupty came 10 conclusion